Last weekend I was invited to my mentor teacher's house for dinner with a few other teachers. It was very, very nice. Evidently, it is custom to treat your guests to five course meals here in the D-land. Upon arrival I was told that since I wasn't driving, I had to drink. Soon after a drink was pushed in my hand and I was led to the sunroom for hors d'oeuvres and more drinks. During snack time, I faced something I never experienced in Germany prior to this occasion: a German that doesn't like Obama. And doesn't like Democrats. For the first time, I had to defend my political beliefs to a German in German. What a nightmare. (Note for those with an understanding of the German political system: soon after this, said person began bashing the SPD and then complained that the CDU wasn't 'doing enough.')
Then the meal began in the dining room. The table was set with a full setting (thank goodness I went to etiquette class at Hendrix!), complete with three different wine glasses. The salad came, accompanied with the first bottle of wine. Then lobster and two more bottles of wine. At this point, I felt like I was going to explode, and welcomed dessert. We were then presented with potatoes, beans, and a huge pot roast. And more wine. I received quizzing looks for not eating much and was told that I needed to be "fattened up before being sent home to America." Good Lord.
Then we had two desserts. And wine. And champagne. And more wine for good measure. We were shipped home by taxi and 2:30 and I stumbled into my apartment sometime after 3. Thank goodness I "only" needed to work on lesson plans the next day.
Fast forward to Tuesday. I never ever look at the absentee teacher board. When I showed up to one of my 8th grade classes that morning, I was a bit surprised to see a different teacher. Since I had prepared a lesson, I offered to fill the first hour of the double block as normal. The substitute teacher didn't know the rules of the program and just left me alone to teach. With thirty 8th graders. ALONE. I started my lesson and the students blew through it in 20 minutes. Crap. I decided that I needed to learn their names and started a round of the name game, which somehow managed to take us to the bell.
I waited for the substitute to come in at the break. He never came back. I had to keep thirty 8th grades entertained for the next hour. Oh. My. God. Major. PANIC. I had nothing. I started them on a round of questions to get them talking and then everything fell apart. They knew that I wasn't supposed to be there and that I had no clue as to what I was doing. We mutually gave up. They talked and acted like rambunctious teenagers, and I spent 30 minutes feeling like the worst pseudo-teacher ever.
Things that I learned:
1. Never offer to assist when there is a substitute teacher.
2. Always have a really, really good teenager-proof back-up plan.
A different teacher asked if I could sub for her class after fall break. I don't think that's going to happen.
lg, Lauren
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
The First Week of School
Sorry for the very, very long intermission between posts. I actually started this post last week and then got really sick, so sleepy time and battling the plague became more important than writing. A few important things:
First: I got my visa!! Finally.
Second: I bought a bike on Sunday! It is pink and is little so I can actually ride it. (The man at the bike market swore that it is NOT a kids bike.)
Third: I have now been at my school for a week and a half, so I've visited my classes at least once. The following is my class schedule and my observations of each class:
Monday
7:40: Frau Schultz's 8B class.
These students are pretty quiet and whenever they do speak, their English is not so wonderful. I was surprised on my first day at the amount of German used in class. Frau Schultz is also my mentor teacher, yet doesn't really seem to know how to utilize me in class. We'll see how this goes.
8:30: Frau Reisinger's 8D class.
They use little to no German in the classroom. I did not hear one word of German spoken by the teacher. Frau Reisinger also has her students write all of their errors and corrections in a journal, instead of just correcting it on the original paper, so they can catch themselves making common mistakes. The students are very attentive and active participants. They will be very easy to work with. I found out after the class that they are 'bi-lingual students,' which means they take some of their other subjects in English to broaden their language skills. I really adore Frau Reisinger. She is extremely nice and enjoys utilizing me as a way to introduce new teaching methods to the class. I think I am going to learn a lot from her.
Tuesday
7:40: Frau Schultz's 8H class
Though this class speaks up a bit more, their English level is still not as strong as some of the other 8th grade classes.
9:30: Herr Heinemann's 8C class
This class holds the title for the first class I gave a planned lesson to. I had never visited the class, and decided on my first day to give it a go and hope for the best. These students have a pretty strong command of English. They are not as strong as a bilingual class, but they have strong fluency and adaptability. They were very willing to participate and answer questions. Herr Heinemann is super nice and very helpful during my lessons, encouraging students to be active and as he puts it, "take advantage of an expert."
Wednesday
8:30: Frau Mikutta's 11E class.
These students are taking the course as a Grundkurs, which means it won't be tested as a primary subject for their Abitur. These students make grammatical errors that are considered to be way below their level. The first week they were very quiet, but when I presented a lesson on American high schools, they opened up. Frau Mikutta was really happy that I got them to talk a lot, and would like me to focus future lessons on discussing or even debating a topic. I think NPR is about to become my best friend.
9:30: Frau Aufderhaar's 9A class.
These students are very active. They are required to speak a lot, and therefore have excellent pronunciation. Frau Aufderhaar probes students with more questions about their answers to really make them think about the topic on their feet. She doesn't want them to rely on previously written answers. All of them want to read and actually complain when someone else gets to read more often then they do. At the end of my lesson on American high schools they moaned because not all of them were able to answer my question. German is only used for clarification. They will be very easy to work with. I also found out afterward that they are a bilingual class.
12:10: Frau Weber's 8H class.
Oh, goodness. These kids are a piece of work.
12:55: Frau Peter's 6 Bili class.
These students are 'training' for bilingual to be in bilingual classes in the 7th grade. They have a pretty good command of the language after one year of instruction. They are very curious and unbelievably excited to have a guest from America (even if they can't quite comprehend the difference between the US and England). They are too cute and I can't wait to create crazy games to play in class!
Thursday
8:30: Frau Weber's 9F class.
These students have a pretty good command of English. They were very willing to participate, especially speaking.
9:30: Frau Aufderhaar's 9D class.
These students are a bit more nervous to speak out loud, but when they do, they have strong fluency. I think if I focus on giving all of them a chance to speak in class, I will really get them going.
10:20: Herr Heinemann's 8E class.
So, Herr Heinemann threw me a curve ball the first day I visited his class. All of the other teachers wanted me to introduce myself, then observe. He, however, gave me full control of the hour. I eventually started to get the students to ask me questions about myself and to bring up topics they wanted to learn about during my visits. I'm pretty sure they think I'm really weird, and I definitely showed them how big of a nerd I am, but hey, they laughed a lot (so I hope that means I'm funny).
Friday
7:40: Frau Peter's 11 LK class.
These students are taking English has a main subject for their Abitur, and their English is very, very good. They are reading books I read in high school. Like my sixth graders, they are pretty excited to have me in class, and provided me with a very long list of topics to discuss and present during the semester. They want to learn about the American Political system (hello, School House Rock) and the rules of American football (I might teach them how to Call the Hogs, because that would be pretty damn hysterical), among other subjects. I think they will succeed at being my easiest and most difficult class each week.
Tomorrow is Wandertag, which means every class is going on a field trip and I don't have to go to school. I'll miss the kids, but I won't miss my 5:30 wake up call.
lg, Lauren
First: I got my visa!! Finally.
Second: I bought a bike on Sunday! It is pink and is little so I can actually ride it. (The man at the bike market swore that it is NOT a kids bike.)
Third: I have now been at my school for a week and a half, so I've visited my classes at least once. The following is my class schedule and my observations of each class:
Monday
7:40: Frau Schultz's 8B class.
These students are pretty quiet and whenever they do speak, their English is not so wonderful. I was surprised on my first day at the amount of German used in class. Frau Schultz is also my mentor teacher, yet doesn't really seem to know how to utilize me in class. We'll see how this goes.
8:30: Frau Reisinger's 8D class.
They use little to no German in the classroom. I did not hear one word of German spoken by the teacher. Frau Reisinger also has her students write all of their errors and corrections in a journal, instead of just correcting it on the original paper, so they can catch themselves making common mistakes. The students are very attentive and active participants. They will be very easy to work with. I found out after the class that they are 'bi-lingual students,' which means they take some of their other subjects in English to broaden their language skills. I really adore Frau Reisinger. She is extremely nice and enjoys utilizing me as a way to introduce new teaching methods to the class. I think I am going to learn a lot from her.
Tuesday
7:40: Frau Schultz's 8H class
Though this class speaks up a bit more, their English level is still not as strong as some of the other 8th grade classes.
9:30: Herr Heinemann's 8C class
This class holds the title for the first class I gave a planned lesson to. I had never visited the class, and decided on my first day to give it a go and hope for the best. These students have a pretty strong command of English. They are not as strong as a bilingual class, but they have strong fluency and adaptability. They were very willing to participate and answer questions. Herr Heinemann is super nice and very helpful during my lessons, encouraging students to be active and as he puts it, "take advantage of an expert."
Wednesday
8:30: Frau Mikutta's 11E class.
These students are taking the course as a Grundkurs, which means it won't be tested as a primary subject for their Abitur. These students make grammatical errors that are considered to be way below their level. The first week they were very quiet, but when I presented a lesson on American high schools, they opened up. Frau Mikutta was really happy that I got them to talk a lot, and would like me to focus future lessons on discussing or even debating a topic. I think NPR is about to become my best friend.
9:30: Frau Aufderhaar's 9A class.
These students are very active. They are required to speak a lot, and therefore have excellent pronunciation. Frau Aufderhaar probes students with more questions about their answers to really make them think about the topic on their feet. She doesn't want them to rely on previously written answers. All of them want to read and actually complain when someone else gets to read more often then they do. At the end of my lesson on American high schools they moaned because not all of them were able to answer my question. German is only used for clarification. They will be very easy to work with. I also found out afterward that they are a bilingual class.
12:10: Frau Weber's 8H class.
Oh, goodness. These kids are a piece of work.
12:55: Frau Peter's 6 Bili class.
These students are 'training' for bilingual to be in bilingual classes in the 7th grade. They have a pretty good command of the language after one year of instruction. They are very curious and unbelievably excited to have a guest from America (even if they can't quite comprehend the difference between the US and England). They are too cute and I can't wait to create crazy games to play in class!
Thursday
8:30: Frau Weber's 9F class.
These students have a pretty good command of English. They were very willing to participate, especially speaking.
9:30: Frau Aufderhaar's 9D class.
These students are a bit more nervous to speak out loud, but when they do, they have strong fluency. I think if I focus on giving all of them a chance to speak in class, I will really get them going.
10:20: Herr Heinemann's 8E class.
So, Herr Heinemann threw me a curve ball the first day I visited his class. All of the other teachers wanted me to introduce myself, then observe. He, however, gave me full control of the hour. I eventually started to get the students to ask me questions about myself and to bring up topics they wanted to learn about during my visits. I'm pretty sure they think I'm really weird, and I definitely showed them how big of a nerd I am, but hey, they laughed a lot (so I hope that means I'm funny).
Friday
7:40: Frau Peter's 11 LK class.
These students are taking English has a main subject for their Abitur, and their English is very, very good. They are reading books I read in high school. Like my sixth graders, they are pretty excited to have me in class, and provided me with a very long list of topics to discuss and present during the semester. They want to learn about the American Political system (hello, School House Rock) and the rules of American football (I might teach them how to Call the Hogs, because that would be pretty damn hysterical), among other subjects. I think they will succeed at being my easiest and most difficult class each week.
Tomorrow is Wandertag, which means every class is going on a field trip and I don't have to go to school. I'll miss the kids, but I won't miss my 5:30 wake up call.
lg, Lauren
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Orientation and First Day of School!!
Orientation was, well... just ok. After much anticipation due to boredom, it really didn't live up to expectations. But, because this is my blog about "Fulbright Experiences," I'll detail the entire event just for you:
On Monday morning I helped Sally move into her new apartment. After that, we decided to go out for a late breakfast/early lunch before catching our train at 1:30. We had a nice meal at a cute cafe. At around 12:00 we asked to pay so there would be plenty of time for us to go to my apartment to pick up our bags and get to the train station. The waitress did not come back to our table until almost 12:45. We rushed to my apartment, grabbed our bags, and practically sprinted to the train station. After a few illegal and near-miss cross walks along the way, we barley caught our train before it left the station. Sally and I found our reserved seats and sat down to enjoy the relaxing two-hour journey along the picturesque Rhein river.
At 2:45 we stop at the Bonn station, about 15 minutes from Köln (Cologne), our desired location. The train conductor announces that the train in front of us is stuck and our train will be stopped for an "undetermined amount of time." Then less than a minute later, they announce that all riders going to Köln should take the subway, a hour ride. Sally and I are supposed to meet the Fulbright bus in Köln at 3:30. Our Welcome Packet warned that missing the bus would bring a 100 Euro taxi trip to the orientation site. I had 5 Euro in my wallet. Major panic sets in about... now.
We took the subway to Köln, which took an hour and a half, because the subway was so overcrowded the doors could not close. Then we called the orientation site - at this point an hour late - to get more information. They told us to take another train to Bergisch Gladbach, then take a taxi. There were supposedly more people that missed the train, so we should look for them to share a taxi. Sally and I rode out to the small town and looked for people that looked like Americans when we got off. No one. We started in the direction of the taxis and saw two girls with suitcases. It was decided then that they had to be Fulbrighters so we ran at them - frantically - and upon approach to their taxi, I practically screamed at them "Sind Sie mit dem Fulbright Program?" One girl gave me a weird look and replied, "You're Fulbrighters?" Jubilation. "We are sharing your taxi." I handed our taxi driver the address and we were off.
We arrived to the orientation site, Altenberg, with a 20 Euro taxi fare, then split four ways. So much for 100 Euro. We then awkwardly walked into the Welcome Session, got our rooms and went to dinner. More boring welcomes and information. On Tuesday, we divided up into our state groups to meet people in our area. Our group consisted of Rhineland-Pfalz (where I live) and Saarland, because Saarland only has three assistants. I was shocked to discover that there are 11 people in the general Mainz region: seven teaching in Mainz (plus me living there), two teaching in Ingelheim, and two teaching in Bingen. The only other person in Rhineland-Pfalz is teaching in Ludwigshafen, where the Fulbrighter from Hendrix last year, Jessica, taught. Everyone in the group is so nice, welcoming, and fun!
Then we divided again into work groups. Most of the people in my work group were from my state. We divided into even smaller groups to prepare a lesson that we would teach to the rest of the class. Each small group chose a level of instruction, ranging from grade school (3rd - 5th grade) to top levels (11th-13th grade). My group chose the top level and we began to work on a lesson stereotypes. We were almost finished and our mentor told us that our presentation was too easy for our group. We then redid our entire lesson and presented to the class, "Gender Rolls and the Media." It interesting, mostly. It was difficult to divide a 40 minute lesson among four people and to prepare a good lesson in one afternoon with almost no resources.
Overall, I felt that I really did not learn much about teaching techniques and the information presented about living in Germany and dealing with German bureaucracy I already knew from living in Bielefeld. Truthfully the only practical thing I got from the entire week was meeting everyone from Mainz. We became pretty fast friends, being cooped up in the same classroom all day all week, so we have agreed upon regular dinner meetings, at least twice a month, during our time here. It is so nice having friends here that understand what you are going though, without having to explain anything. We want to share stories (good and bad), lesson plans, and good ol' American companionship while we are here. I am so thankful for this comfort and piece of home.
The trip back was smooth sailing. On Friday, I went to school in Ingelheim for the first time! I managed to find my school, and after making three laps around the grounds, I managed to find an entrance. I made my way to the secretary's office, where my teacher was waiting for me. We both realized that we had not set an actual meeting place, and we both had hoped that we would end up finding the other through the secretary. After I filled out a ton of paperwork, my sponsoring teacher showed me my mailbox and my very own chair in the teacher's lounge. I met the principle, who was a Fulbrigher in Kansas City, and we chatted a bit about my interests and what I want to do while I am here. He was supposed to introduce me to the entire staff, but he had a meeting. My teacher then gave me schedule and the textbooks used in the classes. I will be assisting with six 8th grade classes, three 9th grade, two 11th grade, and one 6th grade class. The 6th grade class is an accelerated class that is preparing for bi-lingual classes in the 7th grade. 8th graders learn about the United States all year, which is why I'll primarily help them. One of the longer units they will eventually cover is about Hermann, Missouri! And there is a section about building the Arch. I am pretty excited (and the teachers, too) that I know a lot about the topics to be covered.
After that I came back to Mainz and met up with Sally and Liz. We went for dinner at a restaurant called Augustiner's Keller, that serves traditional German food. Then we walked around a bit, had ice cream, and made plans for Saturday. On Saturday, we met around 11:30 and walked around the market a bit to find lunch. Sally and I got some sort of wurst and bread and Liz found some fruit. Afterward, we happened to run into Ashely and had ice cream. Sally, Liz and I stopped at the grocery store to pick up frozen pizza and beer (the finest delicacies Germany has to offer), then ventured back to Sally's apartment to hang out. We chatted, ate, played Phase10, and enjoyed the night.
On Sunday there was a bike market, and a bunch of Fulbrighters planned to meet there to buy bikes and then go somewhere for lunch after. Only Sally, Liz, John, and I actually showed up (not that anyone else RSVPed to go). They all got bikes, and I cannot ride a bike and supposedly already have one from the girl I'm renting from, so we all left satisfied. Mostly. I saw a really cute, small pink bike (which I was assured was NOT a child's bike) for 35 Euro, a real steal. I contemplated and decided that I needed that bike to learn how to ride a bike this year. Everything about this bike was like it was made for me. I rode back to the Hauptbahnhof, withdrew money, and ran back to the bus, barely making it in time (there are less buses running on Sunday, so you better make the bus or wait a loooong time for the next). When I got back to the bike market, the vender with the pink bike only had that one left. He was delighted to sell it to me (of course, who else wants a small, pink bike?) and tinkered with the seat until it was the "perfect fit." I am so tickled. I have a bike! That I bought by myself!
I took my bike home and met up with the others down town to find food. There was a festival showcasing foreign clubs offered in Mainz and all of them were offering food - a lot of food. And dancing - including little kids dancing in Taekwondo outfits with sticks. Too cute. I ate some sort of Portuguese stuffed meat bread thing and we found glasses to return for money (I love Pfand!). Then we decided we had enough of crowds and wanted to try a local TexMex restaurant for drinks and maybe food.
We found the place and it was covered in Americans, mostly from the military base in Wiesbaden. I'm guessing this is because it is Sunday, and this is one of the few restaurants open on Sundays, and one of the few restaurants in the area that's main menu is in English, with a mini German version. The four of us ordered drinks and a round of "Fire Water." That was an experience I don't think I'll ever forget and I don't want to share here. I'll simply offer the advice to not order the "chef's special drink" when the chef is from Mexico. The four of us sure had a good laugh.
I am so happy that I have already made such good friends in such a short time. I also look forward to Uni starting soon, so I can meet more German students as well. Despite the amount of English that I am using, I already feel that I am back in the rhythm of using German. I hope this smooth sailing continues!
lg, Lauren
On Monday morning I helped Sally move into her new apartment. After that, we decided to go out for a late breakfast/early lunch before catching our train at 1:30. We had a nice meal at a cute cafe. At around 12:00 we asked to pay so there would be plenty of time for us to go to my apartment to pick up our bags and get to the train station. The waitress did not come back to our table until almost 12:45. We rushed to my apartment, grabbed our bags, and practically sprinted to the train station. After a few illegal and near-miss cross walks along the way, we barley caught our train before it left the station. Sally and I found our reserved seats and sat down to enjoy the relaxing two-hour journey along the picturesque Rhein river.
At 2:45 we stop at the Bonn station, about 15 minutes from Köln (Cologne), our desired location. The train conductor announces that the train in front of us is stuck and our train will be stopped for an "undetermined amount of time." Then less than a minute later, they announce that all riders going to Köln should take the subway, a hour ride. Sally and I are supposed to meet the Fulbright bus in Köln at 3:30. Our Welcome Packet warned that missing the bus would bring a 100 Euro taxi trip to the orientation site. I had 5 Euro in my wallet. Major panic sets in about... now.
We took the subway to Köln, which took an hour and a half, because the subway was so overcrowded the doors could not close. Then we called the orientation site - at this point an hour late - to get more information. They told us to take another train to Bergisch Gladbach, then take a taxi. There were supposedly more people that missed the train, so we should look for them to share a taxi. Sally and I rode out to the small town and looked for people that looked like Americans when we got off. No one. We started in the direction of the taxis and saw two girls with suitcases. It was decided then that they had to be Fulbrighters so we ran at them - frantically - and upon approach to their taxi, I practically screamed at them "Sind Sie mit dem Fulbright Program?" One girl gave me a weird look and replied, "You're Fulbrighters?" Jubilation. "We are sharing your taxi." I handed our taxi driver the address and we were off.
We arrived to the orientation site, Altenberg, with a 20 Euro taxi fare, then split four ways. So much for 100 Euro. We then awkwardly walked into the Welcome Session, got our rooms and went to dinner. More boring welcomes and information. On Tuesday, we divided up into our state groups to meet people in our area. Our group consisted of Rhineland-Pfalz (where I live) and Saarland, because Saarland only has three assistants. I was shocked to discover that there are 11 people in the general Mainz region: seven teaching in Mainz (plus me living there), two teaching in Ingelheim, and two teaching in Bingen. The only other person in Rhineland-Pfalz is teaching in Ludwigshafen, where the Fulbrighter from Hendrix last year, Jessica, taught. Everyone in the group is so nice, welcoming, and fun!
Then we divided again into work groups. Most of the people in my work group were from my state. We divided into even smaller groups to prepare a lesson that we would teach to the rest of the class. Each small group chose a level of instruction, ranging from grade school (3rd - 5th grade) to top levels (11th-13th grade). My group chose the top level and we began to work on a lesson stereotypes. We were almost finished and our mentor told us that our presentation was too easy for our group. We then redid our entire lesson and presented to the class, "Gender Rolls and the Media." It interesting, mostly. It was difficult to divide a 40 minute lesson among four people and to prepare a good lesson in one afternoon with almost no resources.
Overall, I felt that I really did not learn much about teaching techniques and the information presented about living in Germany and dealing with German bureaucracy I already knew from living in Bielefeld. Truthfully the only practical thing I got from the entire week was meeting everyone from Mainz. We became pretty fast friends, being cooped up in the same classroom all day all week, so we have agreed upon regular dinner meetings, at least twice a month, during our time here. It is so nice having friends here that understand what you are going though, without having to explain anything. We want to share stories (good and bad), lesson plans, and good ol' American companionship while we are here. I am so thankful for this comfort and piece of home.
The trip back was smooth sailing. On Friday, I went to school in Ingelheim for the first time! I managed to find my school, and after making three laps around the grounds, I managed to find an entrance. I made my way to the secretary's office, where my teacher was waiting for me. We both realized that we had not set an actual meeting place, and we both had hoped that we would end up finding the other through the secretary. After I filled out a ton of paperwork, my sponsoring teacher showed me my mailbox and my very own chair in the teacher's lounge. I met the principle, who was a Fulbrigher in Kansas City, and we chatted a bit about my interests and what I want to do while I am here. He was supposed to introduce me to the entire staff, but he had a meeting. My teacher then gave me schedule and the textbooks used in the classes. I will be assisting with six 8th grade classes, three 9th grade, two 11th grade, and one 6th grade class. The 6th grade class is an accelerated class that is preparing for bi-lingual classes in the 7th grade. 8th graders learn about the United States all year, which is why I'll primarily help them. One of the longer units they will eventually cover is about Hermann, Missouri! And there is a section about building the Arch. I am pretty excited (and the teachers, too) that I know a lot about the topics to be covered.
After that I came back to Mainz and met up with Sally and Liz. We went for dinner at a restaurant called Augustiner's Keller, that serves traditional German food. Then we walked around a bit, had ice cream, and made plans for Saturday. On Saturday, we met around 11:30 and walked around the market a bit to find lunch. Sally and I got some sort of wurst and bread and Liz found some fruit. Afterward, we happened to run into Ashely and had ice cream. Sally, Liz and I stopped at the grocery store to pick up frozen pizza and beer (the finest delicacies Germany has to offer), then ventured back to Sally's apartment to hang out. We chatted, ate, played Phase10, and enjoyed the night.
On Sunday there was a bike market, and a bunch of Fulbrighters planned to meet there to buy bikes and then go somewhere for lunch after. Only Sally, Liz, John, and I actually showed up (not that anyone else RSVPed to go). They all got bikes, and I cannot ride a bike and supposedly already have one from the girl I'm renting from, so we all left satisfied. Mostly. I saw a really cute, small pink bike (which I was assured was NOT a child's bike) for 35 Euro, a real steal. I contemplated and decided that I needed that bike to learn how to ride a bike this year. Everything about this bike was like it was made for me. I rode back to the Hauptbahnhof, withdrew money, and ran back to the bus, barely making it in time (there are less buses running on Sunday, so you better make the bus or wait a loooong time for the next). When I got back to the bike market, the vender with the pink bike only had that one left. He was delighted to sell it to me (of course, who else wants a small, pink bike?) and tinkered with the seat until it was the "perfect fit." I am so tickled. I have a bike! That I bought by myself!
I took my bike home and met up with the others down town to find food. There was a festival showcasing foreign clubs offered in Mainz and all of them were offering food - a lot of food. And dancing - including little kids dancing in Taekwondo outfits with sticks. Too cute. I ate some sort of Portuguese stuffed meat bread thing and we found glasses to return for money (I love Pfand!). Then we decided we had enough of crowds and wanted to try a local TexMex restaurant for drinks and maybe food.
We found the place and it was covered in Americans, mostly from the military base in Wiesbaden. I'm guessing this is because it is Sunday, and this is one of the few restaurants open on Sundays, and one of the few restaurants in the area that's main menu is in English, with a mini German version. The four of us ordered drinks and a round of "Fire Water." That was an experience I don't think I'll ever forget and I don't want to share here. I'll simply offer the advice to not order the "chef's special drink" when the chef is from Mexico. The four of us sure had a good laugh.
I am so happy that I have already made such good friends in such a short time. I also look forward to Uni starting soon, so I can meet more German students as well. Despite the amount of English that I am using, I already feel that I am back in the rhythm of using German. I hope this smooth sailing continues!
lg, Lauren
Saturday, September 4, 2010
I'm pretty sure I live in the most beautiful place in the world
Let me explain how I have come to this reasoning:
Last night, I went out with my roommate and her internship colleagues for a party. When my roommate invited me earlier in the week, she mumbled something about wine, and I knew that I had no choice but to attend. It is wine season, after all. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into - I just knew to show up at her office with things to grill.
As soon as I arrived at the office, I was packed into a car (nicely) and whisked off to the Rheinland countryside. Shortly thereafter, we arrived at a winery in Engelstadt, a small village known as a Weindorf, well, because everything in this town revolves around wine. Perfect. We unpacked our food into a small kitchen, then were escorted into a lovely courtyard, where a tractor pulled open-air trolley awaited us. The owners passed around shot glass-esque glasses for each of us for sampling, then we were divided into two groups for a tour and to sample. I was delegated to the samplers group. We sat a long table in the courtyard to which one of the owners brought out a large case with twelve or so different bottles of wine - all of which we made and bottled on site. We selected our first bottle and sampled while the owner explained to us everything you could possibly want to know about that type of wine.
We successfully sampled four or five wines in the half hour it took for the first tour. My sampling group then boarded the trolley (with more bottles of wine) for our adventure. We were driven through the town and up the hill to the vineyard. At the top of the hill the owner stopped the tractor so we could pour more wine. The view that welcomed me was breathtaking. Rolling green hills stretched the entire landscape, speckled with little red-roofed villages. And to top it off, one of the most beautiful sunsets I had seen in a long time. After the wine was poured, we continued through rows and rows of grape varieties that led to even more scenic outlooks. The owner stopped in one row to show us how they determine when the grapes are ready to be processed using a sugar reading devise (I think it read sugar levels...). And then we played with the vineyard lawnmowers - sheep. Who doesn't love sheep?
We rode back down the hill to the winery and started to grill over a fire pit. We continued well into the night, eating, singing (I pretended to sing, since I didn't really know any of the songs), and enjoying endless bottles of wine. I really do live in the most beautiful place in the world.
lg,
Lauren
Last night, I went out with my roommate and her internship colleagues for a party. When my roommate invited me earlier in the week, she mumbled something about wine, and I knew that I had no choice but to attend. It is wine season, after all. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into - I just knew to show up at her office with things to grill.
As soon as I arrived at the office, I was packed into a car (nicely) and whisked off to the Rheinland countryside. Shortly thereafter, we arrived at a winery in Engelstadt, a small village known as a Weindorf, well, because everything in this town revolves around wine. Perfect. We unpacked our food into a small kitchen, then were escorted into a lovely courtyard, where a tractor pulled open-air trolley awaited us. The owners passed around shot glass-esque glasses for each of us for sampling, then we were divided into two groups for a tour and to sample. I was delegated to the samplers group. We sat a long table in the courtyard to which one of the owners brought out a large case with twelve or so different bottles of wine - all of which we made and bottled on site. We selected our first bottle and sampled while the owner explained to us everything you could possibly want to know about that type of wine.
We successfully sampled four or five wines in the half hour it took for the first tour. My sampling group then boarded the trolley (with more bottles of wine) for our adventure. We were driven through the town and up the hill to the vineyard. At the top of the hill the owner stopped the tractor so we could pour more wine. The view that welcomed me was breathtaking. Rolling green hills stretched the entire landscape, speckled with little red-roofed villages. And to top it off, one of the most beautiful sunsets I had seen in a long time. After the wine was poured, we continued through rows and rows of grape varieties that led to even more scenic outlooks. The owner stopped in one row to show us how they determine when the grapes are ready to be processed using a sugar reading devise (I think it read sugar levels...). And then we played with the vineyard lawnmowers - sheep. Who doesn't love sheep?
We rode back down the hill to the winery and started to grill over a fire pit. We continued well into the night, eating, singing (I pretended to sing, since I didn't really know any of the songs), and enjoying endless bottles of wine. I really do live in the most beautiful place in the world.
lg,
Lauren
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